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Jakarta (Indonesia) is now the world’s most populous city, with nearly 42 million residents, followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) with almost 40 million, and Tokyo (Japan) with 33 million – UN Press Release

New York, 18 November 2025 – The world is becoming increasingly urban, with cities now home to 45 per cent of the global population of 8.2 billion, according to the World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results, released today by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). The number of people living in cities has more than doubled since 1950, when only 20 per cent of the world’s 2.5 billion people lived in cities. Looking ahead through 2050, two-thirds of global population growth is projected to occur in cities, and most of the remaining one-third in towns.

The number of megacities, urban areas with 10 million or more inhabitants, has quadrupled from 8 in 1975 to 33 in 2025. Over half of these (19) are in Asia.

Jakarta (Indonesia) is now the world’s most populous city, with nearly 42 million residents, followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) with almost 40 million, and Tokyo (Japan) with 33 million. Cairo (Egypt) is the only non-Asian city among the top ten. By 2050, the number of megacities is expected to rise to 37, with cities such as Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Dar es Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania), Hajipur (India), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) projected to surpass the 10 million mark.

Despite the prominence of megacities, the report finds that small and medium-sized cities are home to more people than megacities and are growing at a faster pace, particularly in Africa and Asia. Of the 12,000 cities analyzed, 96 per cent have fewer than one million inhabitants, and 81 per cent have fewer than 250,000. The new data show that the total number of cities worldwide more than doubled between 1975 and 2025, and projections indicate that by 2050, the number of cities worldwide could exceed 15,000, with most having populations below 250,000.

The report also highlights the divergent growth patterns of cities. While many cities continue to expand, others are experiencing population decline. Notably, some city populations are shrinking even as their countries’ populations grow, while others are growing despite the decline of the national population. Most shrinking cities had fewer than 250,000 inhabitants in 2025, with over one-third located in China and 17 per cent in India. However, some very large cities, including Mexico City (Mexico) and Chengdu (China), have also seen population decreases.

Towns, defined as population clusters of at least 5,000 inhabitants and a density of at least 300 people per square kilometer, are the most common settlement type in 71 countries as diverse as Germany, India, Uganda, and the United States. They play a vital role in connecting rural areas and cities, offering essential services and supporting local economies.

Rural areas remain the most common settlement type in 62 countries today, down from 116 in 1975. By 2050, this number is projected to decline further to 44 countries. Rural settlements still dominate in some countries in Europe including Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania, as well as in numerous countries in sub-Saharan Africa, such as the Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zambia, among others. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where rural populations have continued to grow significantly, and the region is expected to account for nearly all future rural population growth.

“As governments convene at COP30 to advance global climate commitments, the United Nations underscores the pivotal role of urbanization in driving sustainable development and climate resilience across all settlement types,” said Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “Urbanization is a defining force of our time. When managed inclusively and strategically, it can unlock transformative pathways for climate action, economic growth, and social equity. To achieve balanced territorial development, countries must adopt integrated national policies that align housing, land use, mobility, and public services across urban and rural areas.”

The World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results provides a critical evidence base for policymakers, planners, and researchers working to shape sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban futures. This edition also introduces major methodological innovations. For the first time, it integrates the Degree of Urbanization, a harmonized geospatial approach that provides projections for three categories of settlements: cities, towns, and rural areas. This new approach enhances international comparability and offers a more nuanced understanding of urbanization trends.

The 2025 revision also significantly expands geographic coverage. The minimum population threshold for cities has been lowered from 300,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, resulting in an increase in the number of cities analyzed to over 12,000. In addition to population estimates, this new grid-based approach provides land area and built-up area data for each settlement type, offering a more comprehensive view of urban development.

All materials related to the World Urbanization Prospects 2025, including the summary report and the complete dataset, are available at population.un.org.

Hashtag: #WorldUrbanizationReport, #UNpopulation

Media Contacts:

Alexandra del Castello |UN Department of Global Communications | E: alexandra.delcastello@un.org 
Helen Daun Rosengren |UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: rosengrenh@un.org   
Karoline Schmid | UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: schmidk@un.org

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Note: The World Health Organization (WHO) and Brazil have issued special reports on the deadly impact of climate change on humans worldwide at the 30^th UN climate summit in Belem, Brazil. They urge swift action on the Belém Health Action Plan. Following is a news release.

Belém/Geneva, 14 November 2025 – Climate change is already driving a global health emergency, with over 540,000 people dying from extreme heat each year and 1 in 12 hospitals worldwide at risk of climate-related shutdowns, warns a new special report, released today jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Brazil (COP30 Presidency) and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

The COP30 Special report on health and climate change: delivering the Belém Health Action Plan, notes that rising temperatures and collapsing health systems are claiming more lives, and calls for immediate and coordinated action to protect health in a rapidly warming world. It follows the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship initiative of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, unveiled on the dedicated Health Day of COP30 – 13 November 2025.

“The climate crisis is a health crisis – not in the distant future, but here and now,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This special report provides evidence on the impact of climate change on individuals and health systems, and real-world examples of what countries can do – and are doing – to protect health and strengthen health systems.”

With global temperatures now exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the world is already experiencing mounting health impacts. The report finds that 3.3 to 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, and hospitals are facing 41% higher risk of damage from extreme weather-related impact compared to 1990. This underscores the urgent need to strengthen and adapt health systems to protect communities from climate-related shocks.

Without rapid decarbonization, the number of health facilities at risk could double by mid-century, which stresses the critical importance of implementing adaptation measures to safeguard health infrastructure. The health sector itself contributes around 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and needs rapid transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient systems.

The report identifies persistent gaps that require urgent attention. Only 54% of national health adaptation plans assess risks to health facilities, and fewer than 30% of health adaptation studies consider income, 20% consider gender, and less than 1% include people with disabilities.

“The evidence is clear: protecting health systems is one of the smartest investments any country can make,” said Professor Nick Watts, Chair of the Expert Advisory Group and Director, NUS Centre for Sustainable Medicine. “Allocating just 7% of adaptation finance to health would safeguard billions of people and keep essential services operating during climate shocks – when our patients most need them.”

There is progress being made; between 2015 and 2023, the number of countries with national Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) doubled to 101, now covering about two-thirds of the global population. However, only 46% of Least Developed Countries and 39% of Small Island Developing States have effective systems in place.

The report’s central message is clear: there is now more than enough evidence to scale up action, today. Cost-effective, high-impact, and no-regret interventions exist for each component of the Belém Health Action Plan.  But adaptation strategies could ultimately fail unless they address the root causes of health inequity – both within health systems and across society.

The report calls on governments to: Integrate health objectives into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs);

Harness the financial savings from decarbonization to fund health adaptation and workforce capacity;

Invest in resilient infrastructure, prioritizing health facilities and essential services; and

Empower communities and local knowledge systems to shape responses that reflect lived realities.

The Government of Brazil also released a companion report, Social participation, climate and health: a special report to support implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan, which focuses on social participation, governance, and community engagement as a critical dimension of the Belém Health Action Plan. The report highlights that climate change poses profound risks to human health, particularly for vulnerable and historically marginalized populations, and that effective adaptation requires the active involvement of communities in designing, implementing, and monitoring health policies.

“By releasing this report, Brazil and WHO reaffirm the importance of COP30 as the COP of Truth. The report provides clear data and evidence that climate change is already directly affecting health systems around the world,” says Dr Alexandre Padilha, Minister of Health, Brazil. “Recent tragedies show that now is the time to implement policies and actions that address the impacts of climate change on health. The Belém Health Action Plan and this report offer countries the tools they need to turn scientific evidence into concrete action.”

Together, the two reports provide complementary pathways for translating the Plan’s objectives into practice – one focused on evidence and implementation, the other on inclusive participation and leadership across societies.

About the Belém Health Action Plan – The Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship outcome of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, is structured around two cross cutting principles and concepts: health equity and ‘climate justice’ and leadership and governance on climate and health with social participation.

The Plan also outlines three lines of action for climate-resilient health systems: Surveillance and monitoring, focused on strengthening integrated and climate-informed health surveillance;

Evidence-based policies, strategies and capacity-building, aimed at enhancing the ability of national and local systems to implement effective, equity-driven solutions; and

Innovation, production, and digital health, which promotes research, development, and access to technologies that meet the health needs of diverse populations.

The COP30 special report was prepared under the guidance of an Expert Advisory Group of global public health leaders, chaired by the NUS Centre for Sustainable Medicine and with the leadership of the WHO and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Drawing on more than 70 case studies from around the world, the report identifies practical interventions already delivering results – from early warning systems and green hospital design to climate-informed health planning and sustainable financing.

Media Contacts:

WHO Media Team: Email: mediainquiries@who.int

PAHO Media Team: Email: mediateam@paho.org

Brazil Media contact: Email: imprensa@saude.gov.br

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Belem, Brazil/New York, 9 November 2025 – Government leaders and civil society organizations as well as climate scientists have begun once again each year the difficult task of convincing nations across the world to switch from fossil fuels to green energy to keep global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius to avert climate disasters as many parts of the world have experienced.

But some of the world’s top carbon polluters failed to send high-ranking government decision makers to attend preliminary discussion of the 30^th climate conference which this year is held at the Amazon city of Belem (10-21 November). The United States under the Trump administration rejected the green energy concept and boycotted the high-level meeting while China and India sent government ministers to the meeting. The three countries are responsible for more than 50 per cent of the world’s heat trapping carbon dioxide from burning of coal, oil and natural gas. President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which set 1.5 degrees as global temperatures.

“Science tells us it is still possible to keep temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the Belem conference before its official opening on November 10. “Yet, a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees, starting, at the latest, in the early 2030s, is now inevitable. But we can manage the scale and duration of that overshoot and bring temperatures back down – if we take serious action now. “

Guterres said countries are required to take deep emissions cuts of 60 per cent by 2035 to stay on track to meeting 1.5. He said the 1.5° C limit remains “a red line for humanity”, calling for rapid emissions cuts, an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels, and stronger protection of forests and oceans. He pointed out the growing global momentum of the clean energy revolution while investments in renewables have now exceed those in fossil fuels by $800 billion.

“Clean energy is winning in price, performance, and potential,” he said, “but what is still missing is political courage.”

The UN said green energy sources now accounted for 90 per cent of new power capacity last year, while investment in them reached $2 trillion, or $800 billion more than fossil fuels.

“The renewables revolution is here,” Guterres said while pointed out that “To return below 1.5 degrees by century’s end, global emissions must fall by almost half by 2030, reach net zero by 2050, and go net negative afterwards.”

World faces serious climate crisis and damages despite efforts to keep global temperatures low

A UN Environment Program assessment of available new climate pledges under the Paris Agreement finds that “the predicted global temperature rise over the course of this century has only slightly fallen, leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages.”

UNEP said in its Emissions Gap Report 2025: Off Target, issued before the Belem conference, which finds that global warming projections over this century, are now 2.3-2.5°C, compared to 2.6-2.8°C in last year’s report. Implementing only current policies would lead to up to 2.8°C of warming, compared to 3.1°C last year.

“The report finds that the multi-decadal average of global temperature rise will exceed 1.5°C, at least temporarily. This will be difficult to reverse – requiring faster and bigger additional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to minimize overshoot, reduce damages to lives and economies, and avoid over-reliance on uncertain carbon dioxide removal methods,” the Nairobi-based UN agency said in a press release.

“Nations have had three attempts to deliver promises made under the Paris Agreement, and each time they have landed off target,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “While national climate plans have delivered some progress, it is nowhere near fast enough, which is why we still need unprecedented emissions cuts in an increasingly tight window, with an increasingly challenging geopolitical backdrop.”

“But it is still possible – just. Proven solutions already exist. From the rapid growth in cheap renewable energy to tackling methane emissions, we know what needs to be done. Now is the time for countries to go all in and invest in their future with ambitious climate action – action that delivers faster economic growth, better human health, more jobs, energy, security and resilience.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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New York, 4 November 2025 – Decades of efforts and new pledges by nations to keep global temperatures down have done little to fight climate change and the world is now facing “serious” escalation of climate crisis and damages, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) said in advance of the 30^th climate change conference at the Amazon city of Belem, Brazil.

Government leaders, climate scientists, civil society and non-governmental organizations are to meet in Belem 10 to 21 November, to review progress on efforts to fight climate change as temperatures are now predicted to reach 2.3 – 2.5 degree Celsius, exceeding the agreed temperatures of 1.5 degree C under the Paris Agreement reached in 2015. Many countries also have failed to submit national action plans to fight climate change.

 A UNEP assessment of available new climate pledges under the Paris Agreement finds that “the predicted global temperature rise over the course of this century has only slightly fallen, leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages.”

UNEP said in its Emissions Gap Report 2025: Off Target, issued before the Belem conference, which finds that global warming projections over this century, are now 2.3-2.5°C, compared to 2.6-2.8°C in last year’s report. Implementing only current policies would lead to up to 2.8°C of warming, compared to 3.1°C last year.

“The report finds that the multi-decadal average of global temperature rise will exceed 1.5°C, at least temporarily. This will be difficult to reverse – requiring faster and bigger additional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to minimize overshoot, reduce damages to lives and economies, and avoid over-reliance on uncertain carbon dioxide removal methods,” the Nairobi-based UN agency said in a press release.

“Nations have had three attempts to deliver promises made under the Paris Agreement, and each time they have landed off target,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “While national climate plans have delivered some progress, it is nowhere near fast enough, which is why we still need unprecedented emissions cuts in an increasingly tight window, with an increasingly challenging geopolitical backdrop.”

“But it is still possible – just. Proven solutions already exist. From the rapid growth in cheap renewable energy to tackling methane emissions, we know what needs to be done. Now is the time for countries to go all in and invest in their future with ambitious climate action – action that delivers faster economic growth, better human health, more jobs, energy, security and resilience.”

Slow climate adaptation threatens lives and economies.

UNEP said rising global temperatures and intensifying climate impacts have created a “yawning gap” in adaptation finance for developing countries, threatening live, livelihoods and economies in those countries. It said in Adaptation Gap Report 2025: Running on Emptythat financial needs by developing countries by 2035 to adapt to climate are over US$310 billion per year – 12 times as much as current international public adaptation finance flows. 

“Climate impacts are accelerating. Yet adaptation finance is not keeping pace, leaving the world’s most vulnerable exposed to rising seas, deadly storms, and searing heat,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message on the report. “Adaptation is not a cost – it is a lifeline. Closing the adaptation gap is how we protect lives, deliver climate justice, and build a safer, more sustainable world.  Let us not waste another moment.”

“Every person on this planet is living with the impacts of climate change: wildfires, heatwaves, desertification, floods, rising costs and more,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “As action to cut greenhouse gas emissions continues to lag, these impacts will only get worse, harming more people and causing significant economic damage. 

“We need a global push to increase adaptation finance – from both public and private sources – without adding to the debt burdens of vulnerable nations. Even amid tight budgets and competing priorities, the reality is simple: if we do not invest in adaptation now, we will face escalating costs every year.”

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New York, 24 October 2025 – The United Nations was established on this date in 1945 when its founding Charter went into effect after World War II came to an end with the responsibility to prevent the scourge of another world war. There had been no world war in eight decades, but the Security Council’s “legitimacy is fragile,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

The Security Council is comprised of five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France – and 10 members elected for two-year term each. The council’s decisions are binding on UN member states but any of the five permanent members can veto those decisions, a power not given to non-permanent members. Division among the permanent members has paralyzed the council and the organization, particularly in diplomatic efforts to end the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

October 24 each year is designated United Nations Day. As it prepared to celebrate this year its 80^th birthday, the UN has seen its work and programs, particularly global humanitarian activities, threatened by deep funding cuts by the Trump administration since early 2025.

Guterres told an open meeting of the Security Council that “on many pivotal occasions” it delivered the task of maintaining peace and security in the world, and that the council exists for people and it has built a “lasting global framework to combat terrorism.”

“Above all, you have given us 80 years without the chaos of a great power war,” Guterre said. “The Council is a vital necessity, and a powerful force for good. But at the same time, its legitimacy is fragile. Too often, we have seen members of this body act outside the principles of the Charter principles we have all freely agreed to as sovereign nations. When that happens, it not only stalls action in the moment; it erodes trust in the entire United Nations project. It also puts us all in great danger.”

“When one nation flouts the rules, others think they have license to do the same. And history tells us, with brutal clarity, where that road leads,” he said. “Reform of the Security Council is imperative, and long overdue, for the maintenance of global order and safety.”

Guterres’ Pact for the Future has called for enlarging the 15-nation council to include more than 20 countries, with more permanent and non-permanent members. He said an African nation and another from Latin America and Caribbean should be made a permanent member of the council.

The UN chief called for “a Security Council fit for purpose, the world is in grave danger. It is our duty to forge a body that can meet the challenges of the next 80 years — one that delivers justice and safety for all.”

Guterres warns UN is facing a “race to bankruptcy” – While celebrating its 80^th anniversary, the UN and many of its specialized agencies are facing funding shortages that have already curtailed its programs. On October 17 Guterres told a committee of the UN General Assembly which handles UN finances and administration that the UN may face bankruptcy unless its member states pay their dues in full and on time.

Guterres presented a sharply reduced $3.238 billion regular budget for 2026 for its administration and staff known as the UN Secretariat after revising the original budget proposal for 2026 which was estimated at $3.715 billion, a drop of over 15 per cent.

UN News said the revised regular budget called for reducing staffing from the original 2026 proposal funding 13,809 posts (10,667 regular posts plus 3,142 Special Political Mission posts) to 11,594 posts – an 18.8 per cent cut compared with 2025.

It said the UN entered 2025 with a $135 million deficit and by the end of September had collected only 66.2 per cent of the year’s assessments, down from 78.1 per cent at the same point in 2024. As of mid-October 2025, only 136 of the 193 countries that are UN members had paid their assessments in full, including the United States, China, Russia and Mexico which had yet to complete their payments.

The UN peacekeeping operations, which employed tens of thousands of peacekeepers worldwide, are facing deep cuts because UN member states failed to pay their assessments to the programs.

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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New York, 9 October 2025 – The United Nations hailed the Trump administration’s 20-point plan that was signed off by both Israel and Hamas, triggering an immediate ceasefire of the two-year war in Gaza.

“We have all waited far too long for this moment,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement following the announcement of the ceasefire and implementation of the first phase of the plan. “Now we must make it truly count. I urge all parties to fully abide by the terms of the agreement – and to fully embrace the opportunities it presents.”

“All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The bloodshed must stop, once and for all. The United Nations stands to provide its full support,” Guterres said. “I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough.”

The UN chief called for “full, safe and sustained access” for humanitarian workers; the removal of red tape and impediments and the rebuilding of shattered infrastructure as well as for UN member states to ensure funding of the humanitarian operations.

“I urge all to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward,” he said. “A path towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution.

A path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians – and to wider peace security in the Middle East.”

The plan’s first phase calls for both sides to immediately cease all military operations, for Hamas to release all remaining Israeli hostages and for Israel to release Palestinian prisoners and detainees. It calls also for full and safe passage of humanitarian aid, food and medical supplies into Gaza.

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Note: The Norwegian Refugee Council is urging global leaders to press Israel and Hamas for an immediate and permanent ceasefire as the second anniversary of the hostilities approaches.  

Oslo, 2 October 2025 – Aid workers of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) inside Gaza City and across the middle and southern parts of Gaza are witnessing spreading famine, intensifying bombardment and spiralling displacement. The NRC urges global leaders today to press Israel and Hamas for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, secure the release of hostages and Palestinian detainees, and allow civil society and aid agencies to operate freely in Gaza.  

“In Gaza City, hundreds of thousands are encircled by shelling, drones and ground troops, denied aid, and ordered to move without safe passage. Life has been reduced to a fight for water and bread,” said Jan Egeland, NRC’s Secretary General. “World leaders talk of plans, but everyday people here bury their children. Words mean nothing without action.”  

In the past six weeks alone, Israel has displaced more than 10,000 Palestinians daily, forcing nearly half a million people to flee south. Overcrowded shelters are forcing families to sleep in the open and on the streets, while water, food, medicine and shelter supplies trickle in at a fraction of what is needed. NRC provides lifesaving water at 12 displacement sites in Gaza City, but even these operations are threatened by bombardment and denied access.  

President Trump’s recently announced a 20-point Gaza plan has drawn global attention. Its value will be measured not in words, but in whether aid agencies can deliver freely and Gaza’s future is determined with, not imposed on, its people. “We welcome the plan’s commitment to UN-led aid delivery, but this must be upheld. Civil society cannot be sidelined, and peace cannot be built on dictates,” Egeland said.  

Israel’s latest offensive on Gaza City coincided with famine being declared there and the UN Commission of Inquiry determining that Israel is committing genocide. International efforts have not stopped the assault or compelled Israeli authorities to allow sufficient aid to reach civilians.  

“For two years, Gaza’s families have endured destruction, starvation, and relentless displacement. Our own staff have lost relatives, been displaced again and again, and still they go out to serve their neighbours,” Egeland added. “The international community must not watch another year of atrocity unfolding, it must act now to end the killing and open the crossings.” 

Notes to editors: 

• Between 14 August and 27 September, 446,115 Palestinians were displaced from Gaza City, where one million people lived before Israel’s offensive, an average of 10,622 people each day. (Site Management Cluster) 
• NRC provides 87 cubic metres of water daily in Gaza City, reaching 11,500 people across 12 displacement sites. This is about 7.6 litres per person, 7.4 litres below global standards. (Sphere standard) 
• NRC’s water trucking to some displacement sites was halted in recent days due to access constraints. Israel has damaged key water pipelines in Gaza City, intensifying displacement pressures. Sites and populations shift daily with Israeli troop movements, fuel remains scarce, airstrikes and drone attacks make every movement risky, and some suppliers have relocated assets to the south, threatening the shutdown of remaining services in the city.  
• In the south, people are crammed into a very limited area. Families often pay high sums to rent small plots of land. No housing is available, and services are overstretched and unable to cope. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:   

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329   
• Ahmed Bayram, media advisor ahmed.bayram@nrc.no, +962 790 160 147  

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New York, 30 September 2025 – The UN called for world attention and sustainable resolution of the fate of Rohingya Muslims and minorities in Myanmar as their plight has worsened while countries around the world remain indifferent.

“We gather today to shine a global spotlight on the persecution and displacement of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a high-level conference in the UN General Assembly dedicated to the situation of the Rohingya since the military takeover of Myanmar in 2021.

“It is not enough to take stock of the status quo. We must also foster solidarity and forged solutions,” he said. “Minorities in Myanmar have endured decades of exclusion, abuse and violence. The Rohingya have been stripped of their right to citizenship. Targeted by hate speech. Terrorized with deadly force and destruction. Confined to IDP camps in Myanmar.  with severely limited freedom of movement and little access to education and health services. More than a million have sought refuge in Bangladesh, which has shown remarkable hospitality.”

The UN said Bangladesh has taken over the burden of hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya in massive refugee camps, including 150,000 who arrived in the country since fighting re-ignited in Myanmar’s Rakhine in 2024.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told the UN conference that the Rohingya fled to Bangladesh as they lived in Myanmar “with the threat of arbitrary arrest and detention, with restricted access to healthcare and education. They cannot move freely. They are subjected to forced labour and forced recruitment. Their lives are defined everyday by racism and fear.”

“For these reasons I want to reiterate my gratitude to countries in the region that for years have hosted refugees from Myanmar, and especially Rohingya refugees, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.”

The UN said in a resolution that the objectives of the conference are to mobilize political support, sustain international attention on the crisis, review the overall crisis and address its root causes, including human rights issues, and share perspectives on the situation on the ground, including challenges faced by Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, as well as humanitarian issues within Myanmar and the region. It called for a comprehensive, innovative and concrete plan for a sustainable resolution of the crisis, including efforts to create a conducive environment for the voluntary, safe, sustainable and dignified return of Rohingya Muslims and other members of minority groups to Myanmar in a timely manner.

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Rakhine and across the country, as military blockades have severely restricted access. He said nearly a third of the country’s population, some 15.2 million people, are facing acute food insecurity this year. That represents an increase of almost 2 million people in a year.

“All these conditions have displaced over 3.5 million people within the country and pushed an additional 150,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh since January 2024,” Turk said. “Insecurity in the refugee camps in Bangladesh is deepening, leaving people in even greater fear and despair. Armed groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, prey on families – they extort money from them, and forcibly recruit boys and young men.”

Warning of collapse – UN News reported that Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government who addressed the UN General Assembly’s annual debate on September 26, has issued one of the starkest warnings yet.

“The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns of a critical funding shortfall. Without urgent new funding, monthly rations may have to be halved to a paltry $6 per person, pushing the Rohingya deeper into hunger and forcing them to resort to desperate measures,” he said.

He called for “enhanced contribution” from donors but stressed that the roots of the crisis lie inside Myanmar:

“Deprivation of rights and persecution of the Rohingya, rooted in cultural identity politics, continue in Rakhine. Reversal of the process of marginalization of the Rohingya cannot wait any further,” he said.

“There must be a political solution to the problems involving all stakeholders there, so that they become part of the Rakhine society with equal rights as equal citizens.”

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New York, 27 September 2025 – The United Nations will ask governments around the world to nominate experts for the 40-member scientific panel established by the UN General Assembly to draw up red lines as artificial intelligence offers opportunities as well as risks. The project puts the UN at the center of competition for global AI leadership.

The decision by the Assembly, which comprises 193 countries, is backed by organizations that share the views that AI use without guardrails may lead to dangerous consequences. The AI Red Lines group (see www.red-lines.ai) has issued a statement with the headline: “We urge governments to reach an international agreement on red lines for AI — ensuring they are operational, with robust enforcement mechanisms — by the end of 2026.”

“AI holds immense potential to advance human wellbeing, yet its current trajectory presents unprecedented dangers. AI could soon far surpass human capabilities and escalate risks such as engineered pandemics, widespread disinformation, large-scale manipulation of individuals including children, national and international security concerns, mass unemployment, and systematic human rights violations,” the group said.

The statement – with nearly 300 signatories, including 10 Nobel Prize laureates and recipients, 70 organizations and 200 prominent personalities – said some advanced AI systems have already exhibited “deceptive and harmful behavior,” yet they are given autonomous functions.

“Governments must act decisively before the window for meaningful intervention closes. An international agreement on clear and verifiable red lines is necessary for preventing universally unacceptable risks. These red lines should build upon and enforce existing global frameworks and voluntary corporate commitments, ensuring that all advanced AI providers are accountable to shared thresholds.”

The UN said it will form the panel to synthesize and analyze the research on AI risks and opportunities, in the vein of previous similar efforts by the body on climate change and nuclear policy, as reported by UN News.

The UN Security Council has a “distinct role to play” regarding AI – The Council, comprising 15 nations including the world’s five powers – the US, Russia, China, France and United Kingdom – held a meeting on September 24, convened by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to discuss issues related to AI. South Korea holds the rotating presidency of the council in September.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who backed the 40-member panel, told the council, “The question is not whether AI will influence international peace and security, but how we will shape that influence.”

When it functions properly and is responsible, AI can strengthen prevention and protection for anticipated food insecurity and displacement; supporting de-mining; helping identify potential outbreaks of violence and much more.

“But without guardrails, it can also be weaponized,” Guterres said, citing

AI-enabled cyberattacks that can disrupt or destroy critical infrastructure in minutes and its ability to fabricate and manipulate audio and video threatens information integrity, fuels polarization, and can trigger diplomatic crises.

The UN chief said the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and an annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance organized by the UN in August this year represented “a recognition of the unique convening power of the UN. Together, these initiatives aim to connect science, policy and practice; provide every country a seat at the table; and reduce fragmentation.”

“I will soon launch an open call for nominations for the Scientific Panel,” he said and urge governments to nominate eminent and diverse experts, and provide support the panel’s expertise, independence and regional balance.

The UN General Assembly, while holding its 80^th session in September with more than 140 heads of state and government attending, said it was implementing a “global dialogue on artificial intelligence governance,” to assemble ideas and best practices on AI governance. It also announced a plan to establish itself as the leading global forumto guide the path and pace of artificial intelligence, a major foray into the raging debate over the future of the rapidly changing technology.

The Security Council’s debate on AI on September 24 was part of its responsibility on the maintenance of international peace and security. It said it has a “distinct role to play” on AI use where it intersects with its responsibility. It said AI has emerged as one of “the most consequential technological revolutions in modern history, rapidly transforming every aspect of human activities across both military and civilian domains.”

One participant in the council meeting was Yejin Choi, Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, who told the body that current progress in AI is too concentrated among a handful of companies and countries, as reported by UN News.

“When only a few have the resources to build and benefit from AI, we leave the rest of the world waiting at the door,” she said. “Let us expand what intelligence can be – and let everyone everywhere have a role in building it.”

Ms. Choi urged governments and international institutions to invest in alternative approaches beyond scaling ever-larger models, arguing that smaller, more adaptive systems could lower barriers to entry. Let us expand what intelligence can be, and let everyone have a role in building it

She also pressed for stronger representation of linguistic and cultural diversity, noting that today’s leading AI models “underperform for many non-English languages and reflect narrow cultural assumptions.”

Yoshua Bengio, from the Canadian AI institute MILA, said: “If scientifically observed trends continue, some AIs could surpass humans across most cognitive tasks in as little as five, maybe 10, years. This would be a radical change in the history of mankind. Scientists still do not know how to design AIs that will not harm people, that will always act according to our instructions and comply with human rights and human dignity. Advances in AI will offer ways to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges. Yet they will also introduce major risks to international peace and security.”

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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